A New Path
by Blackwolf501
Summary: The Leaf Invasion Changed everything. In a twist of fate, a new Hokage is chosen-one who alters the destiny of Naruto Uzumaki and the Shinobi World forever.
1. The Fifth

**Hi there!**

**This is a story that has been nagging at the back of my mind for many months and so I decided to finally give it a shot! I always wondered how things could change differently if Tsunade never became the Fifth Hokage. It's definitely not the first fic in this fandom to explore this concept but I want to write my own version based on real ninja stuff that we saw at the start of Naruto instead of what we saw by the end of this amazing series.**

**This chapter is kind of a prologue and I am interested in listening to what you guys think. I have a roadmap as to where this will go from here but I'm sure you all have also imagined various scenarios that you wanted to be explored in cannon but never saw.**

**Chapter 1**

**The Fifth**

* * *

A group of men dressed in heavy robes sat around a long table, the atmosphere was somber and each of them could feel the tension in the air. The one who felt it most was the person currently listening to the disturbing reports.

"A third of the village suffered heavy damage. Critical infrastructure was hit which will take months to repair" reported one of the advisers,

"The cost of rebuilding is going to be very steep, my lord" warned another,

"Money is something which we can spare given the circumstances. Our strength relies greatly upon the power of our shinobi, if they were to appear broken...we could be risking another invasion. Kumogakure is acting quite bold, I'm sure you all have heard about the increased skirmishes at the border" pointed a middle aged adviser,

"Then let's show them their place once again!"

"Have you forgotten we lost nearly 30% of our entire shinobi force! We have lost many skilled Jounin and Anbu's, our chunin ranks are decimated and genin too green to face experienced forces from other nations. We don't even have Lord Hokage protecting us anymore!" reminded Shikaku Nara with barely concealed disgust, how stupid could these politicians be to think of picking a dangerous conflict with Kumogakure when their village had nearly been destroyed.

_The Invasion._

It was what the people of the Land of Fire were calling the entire ordeal. Details were still yet to flow to them fully and Shikaku wondered how they would react on learning the full truth of the destruction.

_The Third Hokage was dead._

_So were 200 Anbu Blackops, 578 Jounin, 986 chunin and 445 genin._

_Hundreds more were in various states of injuries with their recovery slated to take months and in some cases never._

_All in all nearly 3000 from the once 10,000 strong Leaf Village shinobi forces were destroyed alongside their leader._

The enemy comprised of Sound and Sand villages had lost almost close to the same amount of fighters, one Kage dead and another crippled.

"We have grown weak"

Shikaku narrowed his eyes on hearing that cold and familiar voice, he felt a shiver run across his entire body when the said man gave him a pointed stare before looking at the Fire Daimyo.

"I am sorry to say this my lord but we have grown weak and soft. It is the only explanation behind this tragedy, otherwise the weakest shinobi village like the Sand and an upstart one like the Sound couldn't have caused this much damage" stated Danzo honestly, earning grim nods from the eldest advisers from Konoha: Homura and Koharu.

"What are you suggesting, Danzo?" asked the Daimyo warily, he had always liked Hiruzen better but today under the current circumstances he couldn't help but welcome the insight of a veteran of three shinobi world wars.

"The Sand Village is begging us for peace having lost their finest forces and their Kage in the invasion. The Sound has nothing left to throw at us. The other villages maybe probing our strength and would only decide to start anything serious if we further continue to project ourselves as weak!" said Danzo coldly, his lone visible eye sending a scathing glare to the political advisers making them flinch.

"You have a plan to turn this mess around?" asked one of the bolder ones challengingly, and regretted it an instant later when he felt the cold gaze of this man bore into his very soul.

"Accept the peace offered by the Sand for now. We need atleast a year or two's time to rebuild our strength fully. Conscription will have to be reintroduced throughout our entire nation and our economy must be prepared for war. Our joke of an academy will have to be reorganized to train real shinobi once more instead of coddled brats. Our security measures will have to upgraded. To do all of that we will require resources, your highness's support and a strong leadership" explained Danzo seriously, as one of his aides distributed a carefully drafted sheet that had the man's entire agenda listed down in bullet points.

Shikaku was mildly impressed, whatever his thoughts were about the old war hawk...he could not deny the veteran's dedication towards turning the situation around.

"You have still not answered my question on how we will stop Kumo's aggression from turning into a full blown conflict? Iwa won't be far behind if that happens!" reminded the Daimyo forcefully,

"They respect strength if nothing else. We will remind them of that!" voiced Homura with determination,

"I propose to reform Root Anbu Blackops forces. They are veteran shinobi with the mettle to show Kumogakure their place. They shall also lead our counterattack on the Sound in a few months and destroy Orochimaru, that should show the other villages that we are still strong and capable of crushing them should they dare" suggested Danzo,

Shikaku grimaced. There was a lot of history behind that force and its disbandment in the past at the hands of the Third Hokage himself...the Daimyo knew it too judging from how uncomfortable the man looked at being suggested such a thing.

"Root may have been powerful in the past but it will be a challenge to face Kumo's tailed beast should they be deployed to the frontlines" challenged Shikaku desperately, as he could feel where this was heading and the purpose behind all three village elders travelling to the Capital itself under these times was becoming more and more clear.

"Then we'll deploy our own. Although the boy would need to be trained like a shinobi being the idiot that he is. Maybe it's best if I take him under my wing"

The Nara clan head froze.

This was exactly what Hiruzen Sarutobi had tried to prevent all these years, he looked around the room and was disappointed to see not much interest among the political advisers and even the Daimyo. It was understandable considering they didn't know the boy, but he did. Alteast in passing.

That boy was his son's friend and the child of a man whom Shikaku personally respected.

"My Lord..." protested Shikaku,

"These are difficult times, Lord Nara. We must do what's necessary for the survival of our nation, no matter the cost" silenced one of the senior advisers,

Further dissent never had the opportunity to be presented when Shikaku saw the Daimyo give a solemn nod earning a grateful nod from Danzo Shimura.

"We also propose appointing a new Hokage immediately. A leaderless shinobi village in times of strife is a disaster waiting to happen" warned Koharu,

"I agree which is why I propose Danzo Shimura for the position of **Fifth Hokage**. He is a veteran of three shinobi wars, trained by the Second Hokage himself, leader of our Blackops forces and hailing from one of our founding clans. We need his experience in these trying times" proposed Homura resolutely,

"Then I propose Jiraiya of the Sannin for the same! He is the student of the Third Hokage, mentor of the Fourth, veteran of two great wars and one of the strongest shinobi alive today" proclaimed Shikaku fiercely,

"_A womanizer and wanderer?_ Tell me how many years has he been away from the village only to return just now? Does he know our shinobi and how to lead them? He is powerful but do you think he wants the job, Shikaku?" questioned Koharu pointedly,

The Nara clan head hid his grimace but everyone saw the fight drain out of him on realizing the truth behind those harsh words. Jiraiya was...

But one look at Danzo and his smug look ignited the defiance in the man once again. Further protest would cost him and his clan but he had to do this for the sake of his village. Lord Hiruzen would have wanted him to fight.

"Then Tsunade Senju! Granddaughter of the First Hokage, another Sannin and a veteran of two wars!" said Shikaku stubbornly,

"How many years has it been since she left the village? _15 years?_ Do you know where she is or better does she even care about the village anymore? Her act of abandoning her ancestral home says otherwise. _Do you really want to gamble the Land of Fire's future on such a person?_" asked Koharu angrily,

Shikaku saw the effect those words had on the weak willed Daimyo who was nervous about the entire situation. One look at the man's face was enough to show he wanted this entire problem to just disappear, no matter the cost.

His decision would seal their nation's future and start a story none of them could have imagined.

**"Very well. Given the circumstances we face: Danzo Shimura: I appoint you as Fifth Hokage of the Leaf Village"**


	2. Change

**Thanks for the support. I'm glad quite a few of you are interested for this.**

**Some of you might have some reservations, but for those who've read my other fics understand that I try to create something interesting at the very least. Deviation from the original is kind of my thing and I try to steer clear of cliches if possible. So would request you to read with an open mind, maybe you'll enjoy it!**

**If not, then I understand.**

**Would love to hear your thoughts as always. Without further ado..**

**Chapter 2**

**Change**

* * *

(Three Years Later)

Sakura Haruno walked with two beautiful bouquet of flowers in her arms.

The sun was shining brightly across the land enlightening the lush grassfield around her quite vividly. There was a sense of peace in the air, a tranquility she very much cherished.

One look around her made her sincerely appreciate those who had given her this blessing.

As she approached two familiar tombstones, those feelings were only further deepened alongwith that searing sense of loss that engulfed her even now after all this time.

_Sasuke Uchiha._

_Naruto Uzumaki._

_Hero of the Leaf._

A lone tear slipped from her eye as she laid down the flowers in her arms across the resting place of the two most dearest people in her life. Gods, even three years later she still expected them to appear beside her and ending this bitter and imaginary prank.

"Hey. It's been sometime since I've visited, I'm sorry for that" she whispered with a sheepish smile,

She patted her newly drafted **_Jounin_** flak jacket with a faint grin and could very well imagine Naruto's proud thumbsup and look of adoration. That smile of his that once had irritated her...now only made her yearn for that brightness to shine once again in her life.

No matter the situation, he had always stood by her side. Always oblivious to her numerous imperfections and only seeing the best in her. That look in his eyes always yearning for her to be happy even if he himself wasn't.

Even going so far as to sacrifice his life for her.

_He had loved her._

Only now she truly understood the depth of his feelings as she read a brief citation at his grave marking the tale of his heroism for everyone to see.

_Naruto Uzumaki- Posthumously given the rank of chunin. Single handedly faced Shukaku of the Sand and defeated the monstrosity in single combat thereby saving the life of his teammate and that of his village albeit at the cost of his own. Awarded the highest gallantry award-Hero of the Leaf._

"Baka..."

How she wished to change things, to be given one chance to see him again. To be able to tell him how grateful she was for all that he had done for her, even going so far as to face a Jinchuuriki and the monster inside of him to save her life.

As she looked at the grave beside that of her favorite blonde idiot, the regret within her heart became more painful.

_Sasuke Uchiha-Posthumously given the rank of chunin. Rescued his teammate to safety despite being terribly wounded. Went back to the frontlines in order to assist his remaining teammate and kept him safe from enemy forces buying precious time for the Shukaku to be defeated. Responsible for eliminating three elite ninja units upholding the honor of the noble and extinguished Uchiha clan. Awarded the highest gallantry award-Hero of the Leaf._

**"In the ninja world, those who break the rules are trash. But those who abandon their friends are worse than trash"**

Sasuke had been the first among them three to understand the meaning of camradarie and had taken the first step towards making them a team during their test all those years ago. It wasn't surprising to see his final act had also been to protect that team until his dying breath.

She looked at the skies allowing her tears to wash down her cheeks as a cold wind blew her waist length long hair across the air.

"I now understand how you felt back then, Sensei" she whispered,

Hatake Kakashi stepped beside her looking at his sole surviving student with a mix of pride and sadness.

"I never wanted you to feel the same, Sakura. I'm sorry I wasn't there to save them" apologized the veteran Jounin, as he glanced at his two departed student's final resting place.

"Yet we must keep moving forward"

The two surviving Team 7 members glanced sideways at the person who said those words. A gentle smile came upon Sakura's face as she watched Hinata walk towards them. The girl had grown up to be a beauty and her crisp **_Chunin_** flak jacket a reflection of how far she had grown from the shy girl they knew all those years ago. The Hyuga heiress was now also officially set to take over the reins of her clan after her father, having now proven herself strong enough for the title. Although she still had a long way to go in her own words.

The pale eyed girl placed her own flowers across both graves, her gaze resting upon Naruto's for a long moment before she looked back at the friends of the boy she had loved.

"We must preserve and honor their memory. Protect the home and family they gave their lives for" said Hinata proudly, as she glanced at the Hokage faces and the vast fortified place that was now their village.

"Yes" said Sakura resolutely, earning a nod from Kakashi.

It was what she had pledged all those years ago and had struggled hard each day; spending every available moment in making herself stronger so she could never _ever_ let down the legacy of her teammates. Kakashi had respected her passion and had devoted himself in making her one of the most skilled genjutsu and medical specialist of their village.

Hinata had been the same and was now one of the most efficient close combat fighters of their village. Surpassed in the mastery of the Byakugan only by her father and cousin, Neji Hyuga. A large part of that credit went to Kurenai who had helped her student reach this far through rigorous training.

"I think they would have been proud of both of you" said Kakashi with an eyesmile, making the two girls blush a little.

"Although I doubt Naruto would have liked how organized things have become now" suggested Sakura with a short chuckle,

It was true.

The Leaf Village had changed.

As the trio paid their respects and walked back towards civilization, the difference started to become more evident. Huge multi-layered fortified walls protected the village from all sides and were always manned every moment by a heavy contingent of Jounin's and Anbu's.

The barrier corps were responsible for maintaining a detection jutsu spanning hundreds of kilometers across the surrounding lands ready to detect any approaching enemies before they even got anywhere near this stronghold.

New Leaf Police force members constantly patrolling the streets and keeping domestic order in check and handling all issues faced by the civilians and shinobi alike, preserving a peaceful fabric of their new organized society.

Four huge garrison headquarters located in each direction of the village ready to reinforce the Vanguard defenders in the event of an attack, all controlled by the monstrous new Hokage Tower standing at the center of the village. A place which co-ordinated the military of their entire nation and employed nearly a thousand staff of those shinobi more suited towards organization instead of warfare.

On the eastern side lay a magnificent academy that produced nearly a thousand ninjas each year. Everyone being assigned to various shinobi arts based on their talents: _Advanced Combat, Infiltration & Espionage, Command & Intelligence, Interrogation & Mind Arts, Administration, Research and Development, Special Operations._

Where once only those with the talent to wield chakra were trained, now even civilians with the right intelligence and skill could find a suitable role in the armed forces.

**Victory in Efficiency**-that had been the mantra drilled into them by their new leader quite ruthlessly.

Resources of all kinds be they men or material were to be utilized fully and without hesitation. Wastage of talent and mediocrity were looked down upon. One's social standing not dependent solely upon them being a shinobi, but instead of them being of significant value to their society.

_Village above all._

Danzo Shimura had said those memorable words as he had immortalized the sacrifice of Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha in front of their entire populace. The two boys becoming the symbol of the new leaf shinobi that everyone aspired to be.

Disobedience and disloyalty were punishable by death. Quite a few foolish former breatheren of theirs had _personally_ felt that decree.

True service to the village was also honored graciously. It reflected in the Jounin flak jacket bestowed upon Sakura for completing _The Seven Medical trials_ and a _Combat tour_ across their ever expanding borders. A fact also displayed by Shikamaru Naru being made the youngest adviser to a Kage in their village's history serving right alongside his father. It was not just honor and responsibility bestowed without hesitation for the talented and loyal, but also better perks in terms of higher mission fees and special bonus that was a welcome boon for their families. The fact that the village also looked after the families of the fallen made their ninjas more loyal towards their village and devoted fiercely towards its protection and glory.

"Congratulations for making Jounin, Sakura-san" said Hinata happily with a pleasant smile,

"Thank you, although I wonder if I'll truly be able to teach anything of importance in this semester at the academy" answered Sakura nervously,

"Relax! Genin are always eager to learn anything from each Jounin. A good word from them during training could truly help a cadet move quicker towards the Service branch of their choice. A formal recommendation even enough for them to take on the graduation exam earlier in exceptional cases" reminded Kakashi good naturedly,

"That's true, I guess! However nothing can beat the craziness those kids have for the sessions taken by Anbu operatives" said Sakura with a bemused look,

Danzo had made it mandatory for each Jounin and Anbu operative to take active part in the training of the next generation of their fighters. Instead of letting their future warriors learn the hardship of being a shinobi post graduation, they were taught by experienced veterans until the age of 13 and only once they were full fledged were they allowed to become a ninja. D-ranks and few low level C-ranks mission being made important part of a cadet's graduation curriculum under the supervision of Tobeketsu (Special) Jounin warriors. Not only did it allow valuable experience and teamwork to be learned by cadets but it also reduced the cost of deploying more experienced and actual ninja personnel for such tasks thereby increasing the profits earned by the village. This method also left their experienced ninjas to take on B, A and in some cases S-rank missions frequently thereby increasing the strength and reputation of their village across the elemental nations tremendously.

Of course this also increased the casualties during training but that was considered acceptable loss.

The increased profits were channeled into generating new sources of revenue and increasing the productivity of the civilian populace alongside their economy which in turn strengthened their military.

It was a well organized system that had transformed their village completely in a matter of three years.

Hinata shivered when she caught a fleeting glance of one of the Root Anbu Blackops moving across rooftops. They had been the dagger of counterattack launched by Danzo as soon as he took control. The weakened Sound village had been crushed in a matter of _two weeks_ by these shinobi with the act alone being enough to restore their village's reputation among other fellow shinobi nations. Their Hokage however had not been satisfied when reports of Orochimaru fleeing his defeated nation reached their village. Rumor was the man had never been stopped hunted for a single day by these operatives.

The Sand village may have saved themselves from a counter-invasion from the Leaf, but this mercy had costed them their independence indirectly. Danzo had demanded more than a third of the ninja missions assigned to the Sand village by their Daimyo to be directed to Konoha instead for the next decade as compensation for the losses caused by the invasion and violation of their earlier peace treaty. In order to save his own political clout, the Wind Daimyo had agreed which was now slowly weakening the strength of the Sand village day by day while Konoha grew stronger at their expense.

Hinata feared a day wasn't far when they paid an even more costlier price.

The message had been made clear across the world.

_Konoha was not to be underestimated._

As she looked at the face of the leader who made this all happen carved upon their famous mountain, the Hyuga heiress wondered what future this man would lead them towards.

* * *

The Fifth Hokage glanced at the sprawling village spread across in all directions from the top floor of his tower.

He looked at it for a few long moments before glancing at the Hokage faces. He felt satisfied on seeing his own replica carved on that mountain alongside those four heroes. It was not to say that his predecessors were devoid of any flaws but nobody could question their devotion towards the village with each giving their lives for its future.

It was a most prestigious and honorable legacy which Danzo was determined to protect till his last breath.

He looked at the images of his own Sensei and departed rival, unable to stop himself from wondering how they would have reacted to the changes Danzo had brought forth. He could imagine Tobirama Senju would have been satisfied with the organization and development of their village; Hiruzen would have not stood in the way but would balk at some of the darker and more harsher norms including the ones in the academy. Hashirama would have been of similar thoughts...although Danzo wondered what the Fourth would have thought. He had not been able to get to know the man in more detail before his early martyrdom.

With a satisfied nod, he placed his hat over his formal robes before getting himself seated at his desk.

Not a moment later, Tatsuma-one of his most oldest and loyal aides from the early days of Root appeared beside his side.

"Lord Fifth, our operatives have returned from their Combat tour as per your orders" reported the former Anbu,

"Summon them" instructed Danzo calmly,

In less than thirty seconds two shadows materialized in front of him and bowed respectfully. He amusedly watched one of the Anbu operatives waiting for the chance to be able to stand back up again. The boy had always been a bit impatient even after all the training he had been through.

"Stand"

"Lord Fifth, Captains Hawk and Tiger reporting for duty" reported the older and more composed of the operatives,

"At ease, boys. You may take off your masks" said Danzo,

"_Finally Gramps!_ Long time no see"

Danzo's eyebrows twitched at that blasted nickname, his mind conjuring up a plethora of punishments for such insubordination only to realize the futility behind such an action when he saw that half smirk on the blonde boy's handsome face. His long spiky hair and blue eyes making him a mirror reflection of his father, although unlike his father the boy was more bold and enjoyed riling up Danzo on more than a few occasions. Even in the face of punishment, his antics had never stopped until Danzo realized it was best to allow some small mercies like these if he were to have a better working relationship with the boy. It had worked, not that Danzo would ever say it outloud.

The other boy was quite composed and calm. His emotions were well controlled and his cold red eyes enough to send shivers down even the most veteran shinobi.

**"Naruto and Sasuke, I have a new mission for you"**


	3. Purpose

**Thank you for all the support. Hope you continue it.**

**Chapter 3**

**Purpose**

* * *

When Naruto opened his eyes, he saw nothing but darkness.

Blinking a few times, he realized there was a faint source of light but it was far away. As his vision cleared moments later, he found himself inside a small room.

"Finally, you're awake"

He was surprised to find Sasuke seated at a couch nearby, his friend looked alert underneath his calm demeanor.

"Where are we?" asked Naruto curiously,

"What do you remember?" questioned Sasuke,

"Falling to the ground with Gaara...can't recall what happened afterwards. It's all still a blur" answered Naruto with a painful groan as he massaged his forehead and was surprised to find his headband was missing.

He looked at his friend and saw Sasuke also didn't have his own.

"I see. You defeated Gaara and the Sand trio bolted afterwards. I didn't have enough strength left to chase them so I watched over your _unconscious ass_ until two Anbu showed up a few minutes later. We've been here since three days atleast, the door is locked, window sealed with some jutsu and the walls reinforced. There's no way out, I'm surprised you were out until now" explained Sasuke frankly,

"What happened to Sakura?" asked Naruto in alarm,

Sasuke hid a smirk, knocked out cold for days and the first thing the idiot panicked over was the fate of his teammate. If only the girl could see how much Naruto liked her, to think he went up against _that_ monster and saved her life.

_"No, he saved mine as well"_ thought Sasuke hesitantly, feeling quite ashamed of the way in which he was unable to stop Gaara.

"The Anbu that visited a few hours earlier said she's fine and undergoing recovery at a hospital. However the Third Hokage is dead" revealed Sasuke somberly,

"No way! The old man can't be dead!"

Naruto didn't know what to feel when Sasuke just shook his head sealing the bitter truth in the blonde's heart. Suddenly all his feelings merged into one single emotion.

**Rage.**

_"Who?"_

Sasuke blinked in surprise on seeing the ice cold and murderous glare in Naruto's eyes.

"Orochimaru"

He watched Naruto grit his teeth and clench his fists tightly in an effort to stem his growing rage at the cursed man from taking away someone who had cared for Naruto and believed in him.

Sasuke understood his friend's pain, while he didn't enjoy a much personal relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi...his friend did. The news would be too much for him, having lost his own clan made him sympathize with his friend's situation.

"There's food and water there on the table if you're hungry or feeling tired..." suggested Sasuke in an effort to distract the blonde,

Before Naruto could react to that suggestion, the locked door opened and an old man dressed in simple robes walked in. The right half of his face was heavily bandaged and there was a unique scar on his chin. He walked with a cane in hand but Sasuke could still feel his presence as the man stepped in front of them.

Another old couple entered the room alongside the Anbu who had visited them earlier.

"My name is Danzo Shimura. In the aftermath of the Invasion and since the martyrdom of the Third Hokage...I have been chosen as the _Fifth Hokage_ by the Fire Daimyo"

Both boys blinked in shock and looked at each other until Danzo's cane cracked harshly against the floor drawing their attention back to him.

"Furthermore, I have kept both of you here for your own protection. Our village suffered heavy damages and many of our ninja are dead. We defeated the enemy but lost our leader as well. The Kazekage is dead and Orochimaru escaped. Overall, it's a terrible situation" revealed Danzo frankly,

"What do you mean _our_ protection?" asked Sasuke sharply,

Danzo looked at the boy appreciatively for being able to focus on the subtle message. He walked forward and grabbed a seat on a nearby chair and gestured for the others to take their seats in the respective corners of the room while the lone Anbu took up position behind Danzo protectively.

"Our village faced another intrusion yesterday from a terrorist organization: **_The Akatsuki_**. Asuma Sarutobi was killed and Kakashi Hatake alongside Kurenai Yuhi were wounded. The target of this attack was Naruto Uzumaki, or rather the power residing inside of him" revealed Danzo,

The shock on their faces was palpable but it was the look of sheer anguish that he saw in Naruto's eyes that made him frown. The boy was too emotional, he had to learn how to control it from being displayed so openly for others to see and take advantage of. Something the blonde could learn from his much better composed teammate who while distraught didn't appear ready to go ballistic in the blink of an eye.

"Asuma-sensei..." whispered Naruto sadly, why would anybody need the stupid fox? It only brought pain and loneliness just as it had for him.

"What do you mean the power inside of Naruto?" asked Sasuke suspiciously, but even as he said those words he could remember the numerous occasions when he had felt that power.

"The Nine Tailed Fox"

Sasuke blinked in surprise as it all started to make sense to him. It was a well known story that the Fourth Hokage sealed the beast inside a new born baby thereby saving the village albeit at the cost of his own life. It was never revealed who the child was but now Sasuke remembered those subtle glares from quite a few villagers whenever they had worked alongside the blonde. He had ignored it thinking it was just people being their normal selves, as he had also faced varied kind of looks over the years as the lone Uchiha survivor too.

"Why me?" asked Naruto solemnly,

_"You are the legacy of the Fourth Hokage"_

The blonde's eyes widened as he looked at the Hokage Mountain from their lone sealed window. The familiar feeling he had always felt on looking at the Fourth's face grew even more stronger.

"The Fourth?" muttered Sasuke in surprise,

His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates when Danzo placed an actual picture of said man on a table in front of them. He looked at his friend who had gone deathly pale and for once even his infamous motor-mouth was completely blank.

"Yes. He was _your father_, Naruto Uzumaki"

Koharu and Homura grimaced at the brutal admission of a well kept secret.

"Danzo..." she warned gently,

"Going around the bush will not help anyone. The truth is the truth, it's better it be said in the most simplest form of manner" retorted Danzo calmly,

He watched the blonde Jinchuuriki grasp the picture in his hand and look at it for several long speechless moments. Danzo allowed the boy that space, he was not soft but there was no need to be disrespectful. It wasn't everyday a boy learned the identity of his father.

Much less realize he was the son of the greatest and most acknowledged hero of the village.

There had been several other heroes, well known and unsung alike. One of them had just reminded Danzo of his existence and the promise he had to honor. When he looked at Sasuke, he wondered just what made the boy so special for his brother to have done what he did.

But the difference between the Uchiha brothers was never more stark when Danzo watched Sasuke hesitantly lay a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. Itachi would have never been so open with his feelings in front of the higher-ups, but then again they were different people.

It was only going to make the next truth much shocking for the boy.

"One of the Akatsuki that attacked us was Itachi Uchiha"

It happened in an instant, the sympathetic gaze that the lone Uchiha had for his friend vanished only to be replaced by the sheer hate for his brother which he usually kept well controlled. If thoughts could kill, Itachi would have faced a fiery death judging from his brother's glare.

"Where is _he_ now?" demanded Sasuke murderously,

He flinched alongside Naruto when a compressing killing intent landed upon them both mercilessly. It became hard to breathe and they found themselves losing their seating and collapsing to their knees on the floor.

"Things are different now than they were in the Third Hokage's reign. You are _shinobi_, and you will act like one. Including asking questions only when you are allowed to by your leadership" warned Danzo in a cold and ruthless voice,

Still, he was impressed with the defiance he saw in both the boys's eyes.

"Itachi is gone, our Anbu forces chased off the Akatsuki. But I'm sure they'll be back soon for the power of the Fox, I cannot let two noble clans go extinct through ignorance or worse carelessness" stated Danzo seriously,

"What do you mean?" asked Naruto grudgingly, as he tried to fight back against the overwhelming killing intent.

"You are the last known survivor of the _Uzumaki clan_, Naruto. There might be others in the world but we haven't heard anything about them yet. The fact that you look so surprised shows how far our academy standards have fallen that our children are not even taught about the brutality of the shinobi world. To cut it short, your mother hailed from this clan and joined our village to serve as the next Jinchuuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox until her unfortunate death 13 years ago. A year before that, just before the Third Great Ninja war ended, her ancestral home-the **_Village of Uzushiogakure_** which was also the home of your clan was attacked by the combined forces of Kumo, Iwa and Kiri. They were annihilated to the last man with only your mother being known to have survived since she was in Konoha at that time"

Koharu watched Danzo nod making the Anbu place a scroll on the table before the boys. With a single hand sign, the books inside of it which were sealed for years were now presented to the two boys.

"And you, Sasuke Uchiha are the last survivor of the Uchiha clan. If Itachi attacks your teammate, it would probably involve you also getting into a conflict with him to protect Naruto. Am I wrong to assume that?" asked Danzo straight forwardly,

"I _won't_ let him hurt Naruto!"

The blonde Jinchuuriki had always known that despite their rivalry, Sasuke considered him a friend. Now having learned the things they had from Danzo and the history that was kept from them all these years...that bond was only becoming more stronger. There was something else in Sasuke's eyes, a sense of kinship that came with the understanding that just like him...Naruto was probably the last survivor of his clan.

Naruto felt like his world was spinning, this was a lot to take in and thankfully Danzo was more focused upon Sasuke for the moment.

"Itachi was an Anbu Black Ops Captain. The finest one our village has ever seen, you two are _genin_. Nothing but pest for him to crush, but I am not here to let you know that you are not strong enough to face him, much less the other Akatsuki in league with him. _All S-class deviants_" said Danzo without hesitation,

"You both have proven your skill and valor during the chunin exams and the Invasion. For your own protection and that of the village, we want to enlist you in the Anbu Black Ops. However for that to happen, we must pronounce you as _dead_ to the rest of the world" clarified Homura calmly,

"Why would we do that?" asked Naruto hesitantly, while a part of him had always dreamed of being an Anbu ever since he was a child...he also didn't want to be distanced from Team 7 after all they had been through.

"I won't force you to join. Anbu doesn't need ninja who are not solely devoted towards the village and their Hokage. You can remain where you are, in Team 7 under Kakashi. But I will not risk the last two survivors of two nearly extinct clans, one of them our village's sole Jinchuuriki. You will only get D-rank missions to complete and never be allowed outside the village. You will be kept inside the village monitored by the Blackops in order to keep you safe from the Akatsuki. However, your continued and known existence will only invite further attacks by such groups upon the village and your teammates. I will also be wiping out the memories of this meeting, _it never happened_" said Danzo mercilessly,

Both boys flinched.

Sasuke didn't like this one bit, but if this man was who he said he was, then he had every legal right to do what he was suggesting. This would never let him become strong enough to defeat Itachi much less develop as a ninja. It would also put the village at risk.

He glanced at his friend and saw him deeply contemplating the choice before them.

"What are you offering in return?" asked Naruto bitterly, surprising not just Sasuke but even the elders in the room. They had never expected the boy to be rational, perhaps Danzo's approach to be straightforward had worked in their favor after all.

"_Knowledge and Power_. Both of you are strong but the Anbu will make you the shinobi you aspire to be. The way you two are now: Naruto you will never be Hokage and Sasuke you will never be strong enough to bring justice upon your brother" said Danzo, as he offered two respective bingo books to the boys.

They hesitantly took it and blanched on seeing the contents.

In front of Naruto, was a personal history of each of the previous Hokage's and their accomplishments. They were all S-class shinobi, in a league completely different from his genin self. His eyes particularly landed upon that of his father...

_25 S-rank, 70 A-rank, 140 B-rank, and 14 C-rank missions._

_Master of the Teleportation Jutsu and the only ninja to have a flee on sight order marked against them._

_Defeated the Nine Tailed Fox in single combat._

He had always respected and admired the Fourth Hokage for his heroism and strength, but only now he truly understood the difference in their powers. And he was supposed to surpass this man?

For the first time in his life, he felt extremely inferior as he read about the feats of the other Hokage's as well. When he glanced back at Danzo, there was a knowing look on the man's face.

Sasuke on the other hand was given a lone dossier.

It belonged to none other than **Itachi Uchiha.**

All his life, his brother had always been distant and Sasuke had never seen a true and full glimpse of his power. Only the aftermath of the same. But now he was finally able to understand just whom he was aspiring to kill and it frightened him as he read the file.

_20 S-rank, 100 A-rank, 150 B-rank and 30-C rank missions._

_The only known wielder of Mangekyo Sharingan after Madara Uchiha._

_Single handedly annihilated the Uchiha clan in one night._

"Now you two realize what you are up against personally" stated Danzo calmly,

He saw how surprised the other two elders looked when both boys just stayed silent and listened to the new Hokage. Danzo hated how soft the elders and Hiruzen had become, these were shinobi children and there was no need to coddle them. If they were not shown what they were up against, how were they supposed to overcome it? But then again Hiruzen always had a habit of procrastinating things that were too harsh for his moral standards.

Only with understanding came enlightenment.

He had given the boys that now and hoped they would show the potential Danzo could see in them. If they didn't, then there were always other ways.

He saw the boys look at each other for a long moment and they reminded him of himself and Hiruzen back in those old days. Each so opposite but at the same time determined to protect the home they had loved so much.

Danzo would never say that outloud though.

"What will happen to us now?" asked Naruto somberly, making Danzo a little proud inside his heart as his decision had proven correct.

"You'll be declared publicly dead across the world. I'll even throw in a ceremony honoring your sacrifice which is not far from the truth as you will give up all connections with your team, your friends, your acquaintances. What property you have shall revert to the Village in public records. Then you shall learn what it means to be a true ninja and an Anbu at that, it will teach you skills necessary to achieve your personal goals in life and also keep the village safe. I will also send you out on dangerous missions that will give you valuable experience that will allow you to face our enemies like Orochimaru and Itachi" answered Danzo honestly,

"So we'll become Ghosts..." whispered Sasuke,

"Yes but you will have each other"

Danzo watched his words made the boys look at their counterpart once more and a faint resigned smile arrived on their lips.

"Keep them safe. Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei and everyone else. I'll do this if it means they are away from harm" requested Naruto seriously,

"Likewise" agreed Sasuke,

"I'll keep them as safe as a shinobi can be in their line of work. But I cannot deny that your sacrifice will give them a better chance to avoid ninjas like Orochimaru or Itachi from confronting them due to their association with both of you. I will ask you this for the first and last time"

**"Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha: Are you truly prepared to give your hearts and if asked your lives for Konohagakure no Sato?"**

* * *

_"They gave their hearts and lives for this village"_

Even two weeks after the Invasion, Danzo's words resonated across the somber ninjas gathered around the cemetery including the remaining members of Team 7. Heavy tears fell down from Sakura's eyes as she was consoled by an equally teary eyed Ino Yamanaka who glanced at the grave of her own sensei.

Choji was also in tears being consoled by a tearful Hinata and Lee equally.

Neji, Tenten and Shikamaru stood side by side watching Kakashi and Kurenai supporting each other. There were tears falling from the Genjutsu mistress's eyes as she looked at Asuma's grave whereas Kakashi's gaze was fixated upon the resting place of his two students.

He looked around and saw many shinobi looking at the graves of their fallen comrades.

The loss was palpable and it was why a part of him didn't care right now as to the fact that Danzo had been chosen as their new Hokage. For what it was worth, the man was giving a good speech.

"While many laid down their lives in the defense of this village, I was personally inspired by the tale of our two youngest fighters. Genin's Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha"

The Hokage saw the new generation of genins and many of the Jounin instructors looking at him attentively.

"When we fought against hordes of Sand and Sound shinobi, when our Hokage battled Orochimaru...another threat brew on the horizon threatening to wipe us out. The Sand's lone Jinchuuriki unleashed the tailed beast inside of him fully...but before he could reach the village he was confronted by a squad of brave leaf shinobi"

"Shinobi Aburame from Team 8 and Sakura Haruno from Team 7 played a crucial role in subduing the ninjas supporting the Jinchuuriki but were grievously injured in the process. That left Naruto and Sasuke to face the tailed beast. Before they could stop the monster, more Sound forces arrived and Sasuke Uchiha found himself in a tough spot. Reinforcements would not be reaching them in time, either he could retreat and save his wounded teammates or he could fight in order to buy time for Naruto to stop the One Tailed beast. He chose the latter option and laid down his life defending his teammates"

There was complete silence among the gathered ninjas as they tried to imagine the impossible situation the genin had found themselves in. It was enough to frighten even the most seasoned Jounin and chunin, yet their courage was something that inspired them alongwith a heavy sense of loss.

None felt it more severely than the genin from the generation of the two martyred boys.

"Naruto on the other hand defeated the Tailed beast..._just like his Father did for us 13 years ago_"

Shocked gasps escaped from the older ninjas who instantly connected the dots. It took a few moments for the younger ones to comprehend the hidden message but with the help of their older comrades they too learned the hidden truth soon enough.

"Naruto was the **_son_** of the Fourth Hokage?" asked Shikamaru in shock, even as he glanced at the said man's replica on the Hokage Mountain.

Danzo hid his grimace. This wasn't a secret he had wanted to reveal but it was a condition which surprisingly Sasuke had placed before him in return for his service. The Uchiha had watched the hate his blonde friend had endured his entire life and had demanded the foolish villagers be made aware of their mistake.

As Danzo explained the hidden truth of the Fourth's legacy, he saw Sasuke was proven right when the ninjas looked quite sick of their actions in the past of isolating and scorning the son of their greatest hero. A child that laid down his life like his father for the sake of an ungrateful village.

The infamous Konoha-9 from the chunin exams were left speechless as Danzo revealed the truth of who Naruto was.

"Our nation is blessed to have ninjas like Naruto and Sasuke who gave their lives for our freedom. We are grateful to have the Fourth Hokage and the Uchiha clan that gave birth to such heroes. For conspicuous gallantry and sacrifice of their lives-_I, Danzo Shimura, Fifth Hokage of the Leaf, bestow our nation's highest gallantry award to these braves souls-The Hero of the Leaf_"

* * *

Two Anbu's watched the ceremony from their cover in the trees and felt a myriad of emotions on seeing the effect the event had on the people they loved and cared for deeply.

"He sure gave a good speech" commented Sasuke, now wearing a Hawk Anbu mask.

"I never wanted them to experience this pain" answered Naruto, wearing a Tiger Anbu mask. His eyes fixated upon Kakashi and Sakura who looked devastated as an Anbu read their citations.

"You know it's probably for the best" suggested Sasuke,

Naruto merely gave a somber nod in return.

The past few weeks had changed their lives completely. It was as if he had been living in a protected shell, unaware of how cruel the world around them was. Now that he knew the truth, even if he hated doing this...he knew he had to walk upon this path for the sake of the people he loved.

"A life in the shadows..." he mused with a wry smile, earning a smirk from his friend.

"We are the roots of darkness, they are the leaves of light" pointed Sasuke as he looked at their former comrades with a nostalgic smile,

"Then I'm glad you are with me, Sasuke" thanked Naruto with a grateful smile,

"You'll never survive the Anbu without me, dobe"

"Right back at you, teme"

They couldn't help but chuckle lightly but even as they laughed the respect they had for each other now was clearly visible in their eyes. Each having a better understanding of the other now that they knew their past and the common path they had to walk for the future.

The other ninja villages, Orochimaru, Itachi, the Akatsuki. The list of their enemies was quite extensive and formidable but it only made them both more determined.

"We can do this, Sasuke" promised Naruto, as he raised a fist towards his friend.

The Uchiha smirked at that action but humored his friend nonetheless as he bumped fists with him.

_"We have to, Naruto"_

Together they both vanished in a swirl of leaves to walk a path where none other could follow.

* * *

**End of Chapter.**

**Author's Notes: Hope you guys liked it.**

**There are quite a few interesting things you will see in this story if everything works out as per my vision. I understand most of you hate Danzo for the way he was portrayed in cannon and especially fanfiction. I have a different opinion though, not saying he's a good guy or will make decisions that are morally acceptable...but it is what he truly is.**

**Keep your head open to new stuff and maybe you'll enjoy them.**

**Few of you asked about pairings, I don't want to go there yet even though I have a fair idea of what will fit right in my opinion. The main focus of this story is the plot and the characters listed in the bio now. Pairing while extremely important is not the sole focus, though I don't mind listening to requests from my readers atleast.**

**As always I love reading your reviews and any theories/suggestions you have.**

**Until Next Time,**

**Blackwolf501**


	4. Desert Storm

**Thank you for the support it. Hope you keep it going!**

**Chapter 4**

**Desert Storm**

* * *

Danzo watched the two boys standing in front of him attentively. Thinking about the day he met them to where they were now made him immensely proud. After all, he had personally trained both of them.

Unlike his **_Ne_** operatives whose training he had overseen with the help of experienced instructors, he had devoted two whole years in training these two boys as their mentor and supreme leader.

Both displayed traits worthy of being Hokage, long after Danzo was gone from this world.

_"What is your goal?"_ he remembered asking them on the first day of their training,

_"To become the greatest Hokage! Even better than my fath-...The Fourth"_ Naruto had answered resolutely,

_"To become more stronger than Itachi Uchiha and avenge the Uchiha clan"_ Sasuke had answered with determination,

_"So be it"_

He had trained them exactly as they had desired and it had made them powerful.

Naruto had taken a keen interest in learning as much as he could about Minato Namikaze, his father. The boy had tried to follow in his predecessor's footsteps and learn the famed Hirashin technique, but unfortunately he didn't succeed. Unfazed, the stubborn fool persisted much to Danzo's pride. The blonde had watched one of their Anbu instructors use the simple body flicker during a spar to defeat both the boys. The Fourth Hokage's son had decided to create his own move from that and considering he had a near infinite source of power residing within him, he became a powerful shinobi. Combined that with his grasp of Wind and Lightning Style alongwith Kenjutsu, he was a force to be feared.

Sasuke on the other hand proved himself worthy of his clan name. The boy mastered all five forms of chakra nature, a feat whom only the Third Hokage and a few others had been able to achieve. Like his clan's past warriors, his prowess with genjutsu was deadly. He had once taken an entire fort without even lifting his sword once. An excellent swordsman, he had led himself and his comrades to victory many times over the years.

By the time they had been ready, the Leaf had already destroyed the Sound Village. The lands were captured but the Otokage had escaped. It had been their first combat tour under the command of an extremely skilled veteran Anbu Captain. Their mission to search and destroy each and every base under Orochimaru's command across the Sound had been a great success. It had made them climb the ranks faster to become Captain's in their own right. Past few months, they had been serving their second consecutive Combat Tour across the hotly contested borders near the Land of Lightning.

Those experiences while valuable for their development would be nothing compared to what they would be going up against now.

"Our enemies are on the move" he announced, drawing sharp looks from the boys.

"Which ones?" asked Naruto curiously, making their Kage smirk. Times like these, he enjoyed the boy's cockiness as it proved that he was not wrong in believing in his nation and its warrior's powers.

"_Iwagakure_. Ever since we started receiving missions from the Wind Daimyo as reparations for the failed Sand-Sound Invasion, the Sand Village has started to grow weaker. Their shinobi forces have dwindled and many of their ninjas have gone rogue. The fact that their new leader is a 16 year old Jinchuuriki proves their desperate situation" explained Danzo with a frown,

Sasuke sent a warning glance towards his blonde friend when he saw the boy's eyebrows twitch. While he held no close friendship or affection for Gaara of the Sand, the new Kazekage- it didn't change the fact that both him and Naruto were Jinchuuriki of almost the same age. In a way, Naruto felt his own ability to be Hokage being doubted by the man in front of them. Unknown to the blonde, it was the small tests like these through which Danzo gauged their emotional state and loyalty to himself and afterwards to the village.

The blonde still found it hard to see underneath the deceptions sometimes, and was thankful to have his friend there to help him avoid any unwanted misfortune from their stern leader.

"Another year or two more and the Land of Wind would be completely dependent upon us for military protection. Their Daimyo still pre-occupied fending off his own family members from usurping him, some rumored to be supported by few Sand shinobi who hate their leader for handing over more concessions to the Leaf. This in turn has only made the Daimyo more furious which works in our favor. Recently, taking advantage of this political turmoil and to stem our growing influence, the Land of Earth's Daimyo has directed Iwagakure to step in. They have started attacking the borders they share with the Land of Wind, two districts have already been lost making the Wind Daimyo request us to sign a mutually acceptable defensive pact in order to stop this intrusion as he does not trust his own shinobi any longer. I will be sending a delegation to his capital to sign this treaty in return for more resources and allowing us to setup military bases near their border with the Land of Earth for their own protection of course. For this pact to be successful, I want you to lead the elimination of the Iwagakure forces in the area" explained Danzo seriously,

Sasuke narrowed his gaze at the old war hawk. His thoughts revolving back towards the day he had asked this man about his true goal.

_"To Unite all Shinobi"_

Slowly but surely he could see that goal becoming a reality. With the destruction of the Sound Village, the nearby smaller villages had immediately renewed their peace treaties with the Land of Fire. Some even requested for formal military protection after the complete surrender of the Sand Village.

The Land of Fire's adversaries now dwindling down to only four nations.

_Land of Earth, Lightning, Rain and Water._

With this strategy, Danzo was advancing towards dealing with the first of those nations. The Uchiha could see a large conflict happening between their nations very soon. As Danzo looked at him with a knowing gaze, that feeling only grew more stronger.

"Whom are we supposed to eliminate?" asked Naruto curiously,

"A company from Iwa's _Explosion Corps_"

"You can send any other Anbu teams to deal with this. The fact that you require our skills means you are expecting more trouble" deduced Sasuke,

"You were always sharp, boy. Yes, we have received word that _two Akatsuki_ are supporting this infiltration. Our Intelligence division has received credible information from our deep spies that the organization is finally making its move. Iwagakure is currently predicted to be using their services for their own interests, but we believe they are after Gaara and the One Tailed beast inside of him. I believe they want to lure the Sand and our elite forces towards the Iwa forces while they attack their real target" revealed Danzo without a flinch,

"The Sand will turn into a full scale battlefield soon" declared Naruto, earning a nod from the Hokage's aide.

"Precisely why we are launching _Operation Desert Storm_"

Both boys perked up when Tatsuma pointed towards the ninja world map in the Hokage's office as Danzo watched.

"_Three teams_. **Team 1** lead by Jounin Shikamaru Nara and our elders: Homura and Koharu will head towards the Wind Daimyo's capital to seal the mutual defensive pact. They'll be heavily guarded and will take time to reach their destination. **Team 2** lead by you two will neutralize Iwa forces before Team 1 reaches their destination, you will be on a short timeline. **Team 3** lead by Jounin's Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yuhi, Sakura Haruno, Neji Hyuga and few others will be deployed inside the Sand village as part of a joint training exercise. Their real mission however is to evacuate the Kazekage in the event of an Akatsuki attack, under no circumstances can we allow the Land of Wind or its tailed beast to fall"

Naruto stiffened a little on hearing of his old teacher and teammate being deployed in such a volatile territory. The old him would have demanded to be kept at their side but things had changed. This old man before him would never allow anyone to second guess or worse object his decisions.

"Then I pray we face the Akatsuki first. Have been itching to beat their asses" he said instead cockily, but still earned a knowing smile from Danzo.

"How many men and equipment can we expect as support?" asked Sasuke seriously,

"An Anbu Squad. You are free to choose your team and the village's finest arms will be at your disposal. Failure is not an option"

The Hokage received two firm nods in return before the boys disappeared from the room.

"You think they will succeed, Lord Fifth?" asked Tatsuma,

"They each have their own reasons for wanting to succeed. More than that, they don't know when to quit. That is more than enough for me to have faith. Nonetheless, I want 4 Quick Reaction Battalions deployed at our border with the Land of Wind. They'll act as backup and move in should things go south"

Tatsuma nodded respectfully as he vanished to carry out his orders making the Hokage focus upon the reports at his desk. There was never a dearth of paperwork, no matter the era.

* * *

They had been travelling across rooftops until suddenly Naruto had stopped making the Uchiha Anbu Captain do the same. Understanding dawned upon him when he saw the blonde looking at the Ramen Stand he used to love as a child, or more specifically at the sight of Kakashi, Kurenai, Sakura and Hinata enjoying a meal there.

"It's been years, Naruto" said Sasuke gently,

"_I know_. Still I wish we could be by their side for this mission, we can't let them encounter the Akatsuki. That is our burden to bear and is the reason why we walked away in the first place" reminded the blonde,

"I remember" agreed Sasuke with a nod making the blonde relax.

They both stood there for a few long moments before hesitantly Sasuke looked back at his friend.

"I can have someone fetch us some ramen from there tonight. We need to leave first thing tomorrow" he suggested, earning a smile from the blonde.

"Thanks, but we should focus upon finalizing our team and gear. I'll eat there alongside our old friends once we have dealt with Orochimaru and Akatsuki"

Sasuke smirked.

He never said it outloud but he kind of admired the blonde's unwavering belief of a future where they would be Team 7 once again. While he still cared about his former team and fellow comrades, Sasuke was content with where he was now. His friend on the otherhand wished for things to go back to the way they once were, even if only a little.

"Hinata sure has grown. I remember her having a kind of crush on you during the chunin exams!" teased the Uchiha, and could definitely feel the blonde blushing even behind that Anbu mask.

"_Shut up!_" warned Naruto playfully,

"Don't tell me you still have feelings for Sakura?" asked Sasuke surprisingly,

"As if a fool like me ever had a chance to begin with...she always liked you better" answered Naruto with an eye roll,

Sasuke stayed silent at that remark, his feelings for the girl had never changed. She was a dear friend and comrade he wanted to protect but didn't have any romantic notions towards. He had even been with a girl sexually in the past during an undercover assignment not that she would ever remember it thanks to him erasing those memories afterwards in order to keep her safe.

Naruto on the otherhand had solely devoted himself towards the village and his training. Yet even now, Sasuke could still see through the blonde's fake smile and denial of his feelings. More importantly, he detected no hidden malice behind the blonde's words. He truly cared about Sakura's happiness even if that didn't mean with him being the one she shared it with.

_"You're a masochist, dobe"_ thought Sasuke with a smile,

"Let's go" he suggested instead, earning a nod from the blonde who stole one last glance at his former teammates and especially at the pink haired Jounin.

Sasuke saw the way the blonde's fists were clenched during their trip back to their base but chose not to comment on it.

* * *

(Land of Earth)

Jiraiya sat in a dingy bar currently sipping his drink while listening to the people around him blabber away in their drunken stupor. As he listened to some of them talk about watching huge movements of shinobi towards the borders, he realized the embers of conflict were renewed again.

His thoughts drifted towards his former student and he wondered whether he would face his own war as Jiraiya and the others had undergone.

He could still remember that day when he had barged into the new Hokage's office after hearing about that funeral.

_"What the hell kind of trickery is this?"_ he had demanded furiously,

_"What do you mean?"_ Danzo had asked, almost with a knowing smile on his wrinkled face.

_"I know the boy is alive, Danzo. My toads have confirmed it"_ said Jiraiya icily,

_"It's **Hokage**, Jiraiya. You will do well to remember"_

He was taken aback by the cold glare from the old war hawk but the man did explain what had happened in truth. The Sannin was taken aback by the boy's choice but it only made him more angrier at the man in front of him.

_"He's my student. I'll train him, we'll go on a training trip in order to keep the village safe from further attacks''_ he had proposed,

_"Admirable but too risky. The boy's a Jinchuuriki, the embers of conflict are going to spread far and wide in the coming days. The village will need his power then, it's best if he is trained in the Anbu. He will be better protected there instead of wandering around the world with one Sannin, while you are powerful...I doubt you can protect him against enemy nations or worse the full strength of the Akatsuki."_ stated Danzo flatly,

_"No-"_

_"I don't think you **understand** the situation clearly, Jiraiya. I have made my decision and so has the boy. Your interference is not required. Instead I require your services in tracking down your other rogue teammate-Tsunade of the Sannin. For far too long, she has avoided her responsibilities towards her village, I want you to find her and bring her back. If you fail, she will be branded as a rogue ninja and hunted down"_

Two sets of killing intents flared instantly, one unleashed by the Sannin and the other by the seated Hokage in return.

The white haired Sannin found himself surrounded by a squad of Anbu Blackops that appeared inside the office in the blink of an eye. Their swords ready to cleave him in half should he make any further threatening moves.

_"I will not stand for this farce! I'll speak to the Fire Daimyo myself"_ declared Jiraiya, and frowned on seeing a victorious smile from the old war hawk.

_"By all means do so! You will find the man quite pre-occupied these days"_

He had not understood those words back then but when the Fire Daimyo had refused him an audience and instead asked one of his emissaries to inform Jiraiya to fall in line and obey the new leadership, the Sannin was left speechless.

His nation had changed overnight after the Invasion and he had found himself without allies to support his demand to protect the boy and keep Danzo away from power.

Their citizens were scared after the Invasion, everybody just wanting the problems that followed afterwards to just go away. Danzo had promised them that soon and they had rallied around him in their fear.

Jiraiya had spent the next two years tracking Tsunade and keeping an eye on Naruto with the help of the toads. Thanks to the summoning contract he had shared with the boy and the one which was still active, he got regular reports of his progress. He was quite surprised to learn that he had not been trained to be a soulless husk like the earlier _Ne operatives_, on the contrary Danzo had only educated him to better control his emotions and trained him in the shinobi arts.

As time passed, Jiraiya was further subdued in his protest when he saw the way Danzo pulled their village out of trouble with his reforms and re-established their dominance across the shinobi world. The citizens as well as the political leadership fully appreciated this turnaround and now the man's hold over power was solidified completely.

It was why after two years of failure, Jiraiya had been asked to stop his search for Tsunade.

She was branded a rogue ninja much to his heartbreak and teams dispatched to capture or kill her. It broke his heart but a part of him also knew that she brought this upon herself by refusing to return to the village in order to help in their direst hour. She had been forgiven when she didn't return to treat the wounded after the Nine Tailed Fox's attack but that was thanks to their sensei, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Now that man was gone, and the new Hokage had not taken her defiance a second time kindly.

Afterwards the lone Sannin had found himself made a part of the new Intelligence division. He was tasked with keeping an eye on the movements of the Akatsuki and the remaining three great elemental nations of Earth, Lightning and Water. It was a tedious job, but the Sannin couldn't deny the resources he had at his disposal now. Whatever he needed to get the job done was provided most of the time and he reported his findings directly to the Hokage, answerable to none other.

As time passed, Jiraiya came to accept the change in his life.

He still didn't like Danzo or the way he had usurped power, but he had a duty to protect his nation and his continued service to the village ensured Naruto was not a made part of Danzo's more darker schemes that many didn't know about.

As he finished his drink after having heard enough, the Sannin couldn't help but wonder where the blonde idiot was now.

* * *

(Konoha)

Sasuke glanced at the assembled operatives in front of him before looking at his old friend who was currently smoking a cigarette while staring at the map before them on the table.

"You guys ready for this?" asked Naruto seriously,

"You bet, _shithead_. We'll blow those explosives bastards back to stone age!"

The blonde smirked at that crass reply from the lone female of their squad. She was a fair skinned girl with a slender build. Her brown eyes displayed her eagerness for the mission even as she flicked a hand through her long dark pink hair with two slender bangs parting across her masked face.

"_Tayuya-chan_, you sure are excited for this" commented Naruto mischievously,

"I told you not to call me that, _shithead!_" replied the former Sound kunoichi,

"And how many times have I told you not to call me shithead..._Tayuya-chan?_"

Sasuke smiled faintly on seeing the silly banter between Naruto and Tayuya. The pinkette had once been Orochimaru's followers and had played a part in the Invasion. Unfortunately for her, post his defeat- her master and fellow comrades abandoned her in their retreat once she was injured. She had been taken prisoner and was quite surprised to be offered a chance to serve Konoha instead of an execution. Danzo however had demanded a curse seal to be placed upon her swearing her loyalty to the village and more importantly himself. The girl had readily agreed much to Sasuke's surprise..

_"Atleast I won't go hungry or get raped by psychos here. I hated those pricks anyway"_

Those had been her exact words when she decided to switch sides and provide all the information she had about Orochimaru. It was thanks to her that they had been able to locate and destroy the various bases held by the Sannin across the Sound. Her loyalty to Konoha being proven when she personally helped eliminate her former accomplices. Curiously, she had been placed under Naruto's command in quite a few missions by Danzo.

Sasuke had a feeling the Hokage was only trying to better solidify Naruto's loyalty towards the village.

He could see why as Tayuya looked a lot like Sakura with her pink hair, nasty temper and foul mouth. Curious traits which Naruto found endearing in his former teammate. Since the boy never got his feelings reciprocated from Sakura, the Hokage hoped to replace another kunoichi in that place making the blonde Jinchuuriki more loyal towards the village.

The Uchiha didn't know if the Hokage's plan was working, but he sure as hell enjoyed the silly bickering between the two hot-headed idiots.

He glanced at his remaining two squad members. One from **_Ne_** and the other from the Anbu's main division.

Sai had served alongside them in a few missions, a reserved individual who usually kept to his drawings. He was an excellent tracker and efficient in close and long range combat. His particular skills were going to be needed for this mission.

Captain Yamato on the otherhand had led both Naruto and Sasuke in their first Anbu missions once their training with Danzo had been complete. A career military man, he favored discipline and tactics over brute force. The fact that he was a pleasant person off missions and took genuine interest in spending time with the two boys earned him in a place in their hearts. His unique abilities of Wood Style would be a game changer for this mission.

Sasuke glanced at their squad: A tracker in the form of Sai, A long range fighter like Yamato, A sensor like Tayuya, A powerhouse like Naruto, and a Versatile specialist like Sasuke himself.

His blonde friend had chosen their squad well. While Sasuke's job had been to choose and procure all the gear for this mission.

"Captain Yamato and Sai, I would like you to take a look at the gear we have procured. Let me know if we'll require anything else apart from this" he requested,

Both operatives nodded their acceptance as they stepped towards the workbench in the training room of the Anbu headquarters. The three of them chuckled on seeing Tayuya and Naruto still bickering even as they glanced over the gear.

Camoflague vests designed specially for desert warfare-_Check_. It would help them infiltrate easily.

Standard Anbu swords for each operative-_Check_. It was mandatory to carry one after all.

Four kunai and shuriken set each per operative, in total 200 weapons stored expertly in sealing scrolls to be carried by each fighter-_Check_. These would serve well for close as well as long range combat.

A detailed map of the Land of Wind-_Check_. How else were they supposed to navigate in all that Sand?

A dozen packs of MRE and Water pouches per operative stored inside a sealing scroll. The three Anbu operatives grimaced as they remembered the not so pleasant taste of standard rations they had to survive on in the field.

Three med kits per operative-_Check_. Captain Yamato and Tayuya who were the healers of their group should be able to use it better in the event any of them were severely injured.

A communications scroll to help them remain in contact with headquarters and their Hokage back home. Sai was entrusted with its protection, being the best trained among them in encryption and coded communication.

A pack of chakra pills per operative. To be used in emergency situations in order to maintain their operative readiness in the event of conflict or injury.

Six packs of explosives per operative. They would come in handy especially against the foes they were going up against.

"Standard but light gear. Good choice, Sasuke" praised Captain Yamato with a smile,

"Only the best for the Anbu" commented Sai,

Sasuke acknowledged Yamato's praise with a smile and gave a nod towards Sai. By now, Naruto and Tayuya had also approached them and glanced at the gear laid out before them.

The blonde whistled appreciatively at the equipment before looking at his friend with a mischievous smile.

"Can we get some smokes as well?"

A swift bonk on the head from Tayuya was his reward for that statement eliciting laughter from the remaining team members. Naruto scratched the back of his head and sent a glare at the girl earning a huff from her.

"Ready for this?" asked Sasuke, having already briefed the others about their mission objectives.

He earned swift nods from the other three as Naruto smacked his hands together excitedly.

_"Let's go kick some ass!"_

* * *

**Author's Notes: End of chapter.**

**Hope you guys liked it.**

**I've got some interesting things lined up for this first arc. To answer one of you guys, no this is not Yaoi pairing so you can relax. I have nothing against those preferences but this will be a straight story. **

**Reviews and Suggestions are welcome as always.**

**Until Next Time,**

**Blackwolf501**


	5. Rogue

**Thank you for the support.**

**Chapter 5**

**Rogue**

* * *

(Three Days Later)

Naruto enjoyed the cold air of the desert as the bird he was currently standing upon sailed across the clouded skies of the Land of Wind. He exhaled a puff of smoke from the _'special pipe'_ he always carried, now understanding why the Third Hokage loved having one of these on most of the times.

"_Shithead_, if you don't sit the fuck down your balls will freeze and explode!" taunted Tayuya in her usual sing song voice,

"You care about his balls? I can see the appeal kind of..."

_"Dickless"_

Sai had just turned towards his female comrade and received a straight punch across his Mouse Anbu mask. He flew right over the bird he had created for their transport until a wooden arm wrapped itself around him with an exasperated Yamato giving him a reproachful look.

"Dobe, had enough of your _fantasy?_" asked Sasuke calmly, and rolled his eyes when his blonde friend punched a fist in the air.

"This is awesome...always wanted to do this whilst flying" replied Naruto happily, exhaling another impressive plume of smoke.

He high-fived a confused Sai as he was brought onboard thanks to the oldest and most experienced member of their team.

It was just in time as a smaller shaped version of the ink bird they were currently flying across flew towards them. Sai unfurled a blank scroll allowing the bird to crash upon it.

They watched the picture of a large scale village be created alongwith several lines of text below it. The Scout having done his job remarkably.

"Impressive, _Mouse_" said Sasuke honestly, giving an appreciative pat to the Ne operative.

"It seems they have made this village as their headquarters. Understandable, first they wipe out the Sand Border Guards in a swift and surprise attack. This was followed by them attacking the nearest two districts, bombing an entire village into oblivion to smoke out remaining Sand shinobi in the area. Friendly forces having now moved to a new defensive line in order to avoid further civilian casualties which has resulted into both districts being lost. Most of the enemy shinobi are gathered here which means they could be preparing for further incursions" revealed Sai, as he read the report from the scroll.

"I'm surprised the Sand shinobi haven't launched a counter-attack yet" muttered Tayuya with a frown,

"_Fox_, the Sand has grown quite weak. They aren't the powerhouse they were during the Invasion and certainly not after many of their shinobi went rogue due to their Daimyo's more favorable policy towards us in the form of reparations, there were mostly green chunin units guarding the borders, after majority of their Jounin and special forces were wiped out in the Leaf attack. They are facing one of Iwa's oldest and most dangerous special forces. They have no chance until reinforcements arrive from their village which cannot afford the same at this time when the threat of an Akatsuki attack on Sunagakure itself is also present" explained Sasuke, making the fox masked female nod understandingly.

"It's upto us to save them" said Captain Yamato seriously, his deer mask shining in the faint moonlight.

_"I have a plan"_

The four Anbu's looked up to see the blonde warrior of their group sit beside them. Gone was the earlier playfullness and mischief, now replaced by a set of cold and determined blue eyes.

"What do you have in mind, _Captain Tiger?_" asked Sai curiously,

"**Five pronged assault**. _Mouse_ with his special tricks from the South" announced Naruto, earning a nod from Sai.

"_Hawk_ from the front. Unless he is..._chicken?_" teased Naruto, making his Uchiha friend awaken his famed dojutsu and merely give him a challenging glare.

"_Deer_ from the North. We can expect these _Rockheads_ to blow up the water reservoir of this village in the event they are kicked out. That water is the lifeblood of this populace, protect it and kill anyone that tries to fuck with it" suggested Naruto respectfully considering Yamato had been their mentor even if they were of the same rank now.

The veteran Anbu smiled and nodded showing his support for his former trainee's plan.

"_Rockheads_...I like that name" said Tayuya with a smirk, a perfect description of the Iwa shinobi. Maybe the blonde did have style.

She felt a shiver pass through her body when those confident blue eyes landed upon her.

"You'll be with _me_. I need your help in rescuing the civilians and getting the stupid ones from killing themselves"

Tayuya nodded her consent, all the while watching and be impressed with the way the blonde carried himself right now. No doubt, No fear, only sheer determination. It was a far-cry from the happy go crazy idiot he was most of the time. This persona of him commanded nothing but obedience but also offered her equal respect as a fellow warrior.

She was thankful when Sasuke got up from his seated position drawing the blonde's attention away from her.

The two boys stepped towards the edge watching the vast desert and clouded skies across them.

"This could get ugly, Tiger" warned the Uchiha Captain,

"You remember the 10th question from the chunin exams?" asked Naruto with a confident smile,

Sasuke smiled at that memory.

Defiant, headstrong and foolishly brave the blonde had been, the same as he was now.

Ibiki Morino's words about adversity making the Uchiha Captain understand the blonde's message without another word.

It was a testament to how far they had came and the growth of their friendship.

The bond he had with the blonde being the one he had always desired with his criminal older brother.

He made the idiot laugh when he silently requested for his _'precious pipe'_ which the blonde readily passed. Sai shook his head amusedly as Yamato took a seat beside him and the bird swiftly flew in the direction of their target.

Half an hour passed when Tayuya first caught a glimpse of the village on the horizon.

It was a small blip across the desert marked by few medium sized houses looked over by a tall tower in the center. The water reservoir Naruto had spoken of was exactly where Sai's map had depicted its location. She checked her gear once as her comrades did the same.

"So where are we infiltrating from, _shithead?_" she asked curiously, switching on her mobile earpiece radio.

Tayuya went pale when she saw those mischievous blue eyes give her a knowing look.

_"Oh hell no...you don't!"_

As she moved to smack him for that stupidity, she saw Yamato sigh as he flexed his muscles same as Sasuke. Before she could reach the blonde with her fist, she caught a fleeting glance of Sai who winked at her mischievously and had already raised a hand sign as they flew three thousand feet exactly above their target.

As the bird vanished from beneath her feet, a terrified low pitched yelp escaped her lips

_**"SHITHEAD!"**_

She heard a chorus of male laughter across the radio even as she was now falling three thousand feet to her death right alongside her crazy comrades.

Her eyebrows twitched violently when she saw the infuriating blonde give her a wink knowing exactly well how she was afraid of heights. Of course he would chose this option of infiltration...he wouldn't be _shithead_ if he didn't.

"Ten seconds" reported Sasuke, as the ground started to appear more and more closer.

"Trust me" signaled Naruto, sending a reassuring gaze at the redhead who gave him a much weaker nod than she liked.

The blonde weaved through a rapid set of hand signs before slamming his palms together.

**"Wind Style: Swirling Tides"**

She felt a warm but powerful force wrap itself all around her, even if her eyes couldn't see anything changing apart from her falling ass. The men however nodded at the blonde before they moved in the decided directions of their attack.

The blonde came beside her and laid a comforting hand upon her shoulder.

"Time to surprise these _Rockheads_" he encouraged,

"Let's go kick them in the nuts" she answered confidently, as she felt her fall getting slowed down dramatically until they were now breezing towards the village center a few hundred feet away from them.

The blonde again raised a hand sign and Tayuya felt an enormous buildup of chakra within him.

**"Wind Style: Raging Tornado!"**

A gale of air was unleashed across the village knocking out enemy sentries from rooftops and slamming the ones patrolling the streets into nearby houses much to the terror of the trapped civilians. Four gusts of sand tornado rose across different directions around the village border which immediately ignited the bombs hidden inside the ground by the enemy. Tayuya now understanding why a ground attack would have been detected by the enemy immediately making them lose the element of surprise which was extremely crucial in such special operations.

She felt the blonde grab her waist as he made them land comfortably across the tallest tower with his mastery over the very air itself. The redhead being reminded as to why the blonde was one of the most dangerous Anbu of the Leaf when their remaining comrades also safely landed in their decided positions thanks to him.

"You know what to do, Fox"

She nodded resolutely as she grabbed her demonic flute and played a melodic tune that swept across the modest village within a few seconds. It took out the civilians with a sound genjutsu making them instantly go to sleep. The same however was not the case for the Iwa Blackops forces that now emerged in full force across the rooftops, entrances and in the alleys.

"Cover my back" he requested,

"You got it, _shithead_" she promised,

Ignoring that remark, he made a familiar hand sign creating ten clones that jumped in different directions marking the start of their battle.

The real blonde channeled wind chakra through his now unleashed sword and grinned when Tayuya tossed her own to him, her real weapon already in her hand.

Soon the blonde now wielding twin swords also channeled his cursed chakra through the weapons making them glow a dangerous reddish glow. Even from her distance, Tayuya felt the raw power in that chakra alongwith its monstrous bloodlust.

**"Demonic Flute: Distortion!"**

Tayuya unleashed her jutsu the moment the blonde vanished from the tower. In the blink of an eye, he was on top of the nearest rooftops much to the horror of the two Iwa ninja on top of it.

Naruto saw their disbelief and anguish as he plunged his burning swords clean through their hearts. Their bodies being set on fire as the hungry chakra within the blades consumed them a whole. He disappeared once again and this time appeared on another rooftop watching the shocked Iwa shinobi still staring at the burning remains of their comrades killed an instant ago. The blonde unleashed a full circle movement decapitating the four men in half, their weapons missing him by mere inches thanks to Tayuya's subtle but powerful genjutsu making their vision impaired.

As they fell, one of the other Iwa shinobi pointed at the blonde in horror.

_"He's too fast!"_

The leader of the enemy group silenced the few fools who were cowered and looked at the blonde furiously as he watched the boy's clones attacking his men from various directions causing more losses, what was further damning was the sight of three artificial demonic warriors unleashed by that redhead kunoichi had also joined the fray.

* * *

Sasuke watched the rain of explosive kunai falling down upon him from the skies which made him smirk.

**"Chidori: One Thousand Cuts!"**

Summoning his famous lightning blade in his right hand he unleashed a thousand bolts of that twisted energy upon the incoming volley making the explosives go off in mid air.

**"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"**

Four enemies jumped out from the ground around him only for the Uchiha to coat himself in lightning completely, their screams echoing across the entire area as the Konoha Captain electrocuted them mercilessly to cinders.

He felt his ninja senses warn him and activated his sharingan just in time as extremely tiny creatures of clay invisible to the human eye emerged from the sand around him. Jumping in the air, he felt the force of multiple explosions being unleashed as he countered the rising inferno of flames with a massive fireball of his own.

As he started to land back towards the ground, the enemy was waiting for him.

**"Earth Style: Mud Swamp!"**

Sasuke quickly threw twin shuriken that speared clean through the necks of the nearest Iwa Anbu, without wasting a moment the Uchiha yanked on the ninja wire strapped across the weapons pulling himself out of the trajectory that would have made him crash right into the swamp.

His victory was shortlived as the moment he landed back safely, twelve monstrosities rose around him.

**"Earth Style: Twelve Holy Dragons!"**

As the earthen beasts crashed upon the Uchiha in a roar of apocalyptic fury, the Iwa forces breathed a sigh of relief at the thunderous explosion that would have shred their enemy to pieces. The feeling didn't last long when the dust cleared and they found their enemy standing tall without a scratch on him thanks to his lightning armor.

It was only now that they saw his Sharingan which made them take a step back earning a sigh from the Uchiha.

"We're not here to fight a needlessly drawn battle" declared Sasuke calmly,

He raised a single hand seal and the skies above them roared fiercely making the entire desert tremble in its fury. In less than three seconds, hundreds of powerful lightning bolts fell upon the Northern gate defenders.

**"Lightning Style: Rain of Death!"**

Sasuke watched majority of his enemies at the village's front gate be caught in the sweeping attack, unable to beat nature's terrifying power and speed.

_"Frontal Assault: Success"_ reported the Uchiha Captain with a satisfied smirk, as he now charged towards the few lucky survivors to give them a befitting end.

* * *

Sai heard the Uchiha Captain's report on their radio and nodded. He looked at the village center and saw faint yellow flashes pop across rooftops followed by screams. Their blonde Captain had also unleashed himself upon the enemy.

He looked at the Iwa shinobi currently surrounding him.

In the blink of an eye, all ten of them jumped upon him with their swords tearing all across his body.

Much to their surprise, Sai exploded into a shower of ink that drenched all of the enemy shinobi. They cursed when another Sai emerged from the desert in a different direction with his hand already forming the Ram seal.

**"Fuinjutsu: Suppression!"**

The ink sprawled across the Iwa shinobi's bodies transformed into various kanji much to their horror and they found themselves unable to make any movement. They watched the Mouse masked Konoha Anbu slam his right hand across the desert.

**"Super Beast: Karena Pack!"**

Hungry creatures of ink accurately resembling foxes and hyenas emerged all around the Iwa shinobi in a tidal wave. Before they knew it, they were the chewing meat for these monsters with their screams echoing across the entire village as the lone Konoha Ne Operative looked at them blankly.

_"South entrance secured"_

* * *

Captain Yamato nodded proudly as he heard various reports of success, he may have only trained Naruto and Sasuke but he was satisfied with the way Tayuya and Sai were also carrying themselves in this mission.

He had to acknowledge the fact that Naruto had chosen their squad quite well.

There was a terrifying intelligence and a cunning warrior lurking behind that happy go lucky persona of the blonde boy.

Still, despite their success he couldn't help but feel that something was off. He glanced at the enemies in front of him.

They charged at him swiftly making Yamato perform a quick set of hand signs.

**"Wood Style: Spiked Trap!"**

The Iwa squad jumped high in the air in order to avoid the sharp wooden spikes that rose up from the sand around them. They cursed when Yamato extended his wooden hand towards them in an effort to capture them.

Substitution technique came to their rescue but as they landed back upon the ground, they saw another Yamato emerge from the nearby wooden debris with his sword making a quick effort in cleaving his enemies into half.

The Konoha Captain saw one of the enemy Anbu make a hand sign even as his severed half fell to the ground.

The shock in the dying man's eyes was palpable as nothing happened and the water reservoir they were tasked to destroy in the event of their imminent defeat remained standing. The last thing he saw was the sight of Yamato's weapon burying itself into his face.

_"North Secure!"_

* * *

Naruto parried the sword in his right hand against four Iwa shinobi trying to slice him to pieces. They screamed when a clone of the blonde demon appeared behind them out of thin air and delivered the killing blow.

As the bodies crashed around him, Naruto slashed his sword across their necks leaving no room for any recovery.

He watched the life drain from their eyes and a small part of him was saddened.

If only people ever stopped about desiring more and more...if only man could be content with his being, the world would be such a beautiful place.

But that was a wishful dream...

_"It's not for us to judge another man. Duty is the code of the shinobi. To do whatever necessary to protect one's motherland. To become a devil in order to protect one's loved ones-that's what your father became in the last great ninja war. He didn't hate his enemies but became the executioner for all that dared to harm his nation. That's what being a Hokage is, Naruto. The nation is all that matters...it is what holds us all together, our culture, our way of life and most of all our people. Think of this always, son"_

Danzo's words echoed across his heart as he pierced his twin burning swords clean through his enemy's heart.

As the Iwa shinobi fell, the Konoha Anbu Captain now came across the enemy commander.

"You butchered my men, _boy_" spat the hulk of a man furiously, glaring at the blonde's clones and his redhead comrade that had slaughtered his forces to the last man until only he remained.

"You butchered innocents, I have no mercy for the likes of you" answered Naruto coldly,

The Iwa Captain roared furiously as he charged forward at the blonde only to watch a tail of chakra emerge from his back and his eyes transforming into demonic red.

**"Sonic Wave!"**

A white hot wave of energy exploded around the blonde unleashing a shockwave that hit the Iwa Captain mercilessly and sent him crashing away at the other end of the village.

The blonde descended down from the rooftops and walked through the deserted streets.

He spotted his target a few moments later, sprawled pitifully across the remains of a small hut. The man was still alive barely which made the blonde raise his weapon until he saw another person appear.

"Let me put him out of his misery, Hawk" said Naruto seriously,

"Wait, Tiger. Something's not right" answered Sasuke,

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you think this was _too easy_? These guys were no joke but they weren't anything special either" said Sasuke with a suspicious look,

"Maybe" agreed the blonde without much conviction in his voice,

The Uchiha was not satisfied and instead sent a bolt of lightning from his fingers which made their wounded prisoner regain consciousness with a painful jolt. The first and last thing he saw was a pair of sharingan eyes.

Naruto frowned when he watched Sasuke curse as he executed the prisoner a moment later, but the blonde's eyes widened in shock when the body transformed into an extremely pale and barely resembling humanoid creature.

_"Guys, what the fuck is this"_

_"The bodies are changing"_

Tayuya and Sai's reports echoed over his radio which made him glance back at his best friend in alarm.

"We've been fooled" said Sasuke bitterly,

"They are not the real Iwa _Explosion Corps_ shinobi, are they?" asked the blonde hesitantly,

They saw Yamato appear beside them and the veteran Anbu officer looked at them gravely.

"A well crafted diversion. The enemy wanted everyone to believe they were gathering here to launch further incursions when in reality they have already launched the same, leaving behind a sacrificial force to act as decoys to keep additional reinforcements from the Sand as well as any from Konoha occupied. It's why we barely faced any severe resistance but I have never seen a jutsu like this before" commented Yamato,

_"If they are not here...then where the hell is Iwa's Explosion Corps?"_

* * *

Alarm sirens blared in every direction of the village as Sakura, Neji, Lee and Ino charged through the frenzied village of Sunagakure. There were Suna shinobi at various checkpoints guiding the civilians to their underground bunkers, while their few but elite Jounin's and Anbu units joined the Konoha forces as they together took to the rooftops to charge towards the Northern Wall of the village.

They all saw the Kazekage himself march in the same direction standing atop the sand that carried him across the sky.

Neji cursed on that recklessness but also couldn't blame the man. The enemy was most probably coming for Gaara but even so he had a duty towards his people.

"Protect the Kazekage at all costs!" he commanded,

"Roger!" chorused his fellow Leaf Jounin's, making the Hyuga feel a bit more confident about their chances as the comrades beside him were ones he had known for years. Some more than the others, but there was no doubt in his mind that they were all fine shinobi.

He received even more fierce nods of agreement from the Sand elite forces led by Baki.

Soon they reached atop the Northern Wall where Kakashi and Kurenai were standing guard alongside hundreds of Sand ninja.

_"They're here"_

Her sensei's words had barely sunk in when Sakura caught sight of what they were going up against.

Neji's eyes widened when he saw a hundred plus shinobi force led by a blonde man in dark robes marked with red clouds approaching towards the village from the distant skies.

There was another strange man wearing the same uniform approaching from the ground with hundreds of shinobi at his back.

It was a full blown Invasion.

Gaara glanced back at his village and the progress of the evacuation made him worry. The enemy would be upon them very soon and he wanted to avoid unnecessary deaths.

He glanced at the Akatsuki approaching from the skies and behind him he saw the infamous Iwa Explosion Corps.

The Akatsuki on the ground made the Kazekage angry as he recognized the man and the sight of rogue Sand shinobi following him alongside others of unknown origin ignited a fire within the young leader.

Gaara extended his hands forward making a tidal wave of Sand rise from the desert.

_**"For Sunagakure!"**_

* * *

**Author's Notes: End of chapter.**

**Hope you guys liked it.**

**Reviews are welcome as always.**

**Until Next Time,**

**Blackwolf501**


	6. Special Operations

**Thank you for the support. Hope you continue it.**

**Sorry for the late update, was tied up with some real life events past few weeks.**

**Chapter 6**

**Special Operations**

* * *

Kakashi Hatake was a veteran of many battles.

Having survived the horrors of the Third Great Ninja War, he had a deep understanding of the battlefield.

Right now as he watched the incoming army, he couldn't help but doubt the chances of the Sand village's survival.

He looked at his squad assembled around him, their determined eyes boring into his own.

"We carry out our mission. Under no circumstances can we allow the Akatsuki to get anywhere near the Kazekage!" he announced, earning firm nods from all members of the team.

His sole surviving student also nodded her consent at his command making the veteran Jounin think about the other two he had lost. Neither of those two boys would have agreed with his plan, in fact they would have wanted to fight the enemy approaching towards them.

He felt their loss once again as a comforting hand was placed upon his shoulder.

Kurenai gave him a reassuring smile, one which he gladly returned with his own. The confidence she had in him made the veteran Jounin push those dark feelings at the back of his mind. Made him remember that there was still hope left in his life.

He had not been able to forgive himself for not being able to save Naruto and Sasuke. He had failed as their teacher and he only realized the gravity of that loss when he saw those two boys buried in that same cemetery where all of his former friends, parents and mentor were laid to rest.

Despair had overwhelmed his heart until he found another kindred soul in Kurenai who had also lost her lover Asuma in the same period thanks to the Akatsuki. He had been present in that battle when the Sarutobi heir had fallen to Kisame Hoshigaki's sword while protecting Kurenai from a fatal attack.

Having suffered the same pain, him and Kurenai became each other's bedrock in an effort to endure their respective tragedies.

She helped him get back on his feet and focus all his talent in training his last surviving student, Sakura Haruno. Made him believe that he could still make something right by becoming the mentor he was meant to be. He made her feel the same towards Team 8.

Now as he looked at the threat approaching towards them, he made a decision that his dear friend would not like at all.

"Secure the VIP on my command. Kurenai, you shall take the lead in this task. Take Neji with you" he instructed,

"What about us, Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura quickly, earning a nod from Ino as well.

"Sakura, you shall join me in the village's defense. Ino, with your sensory powers and telepathy technique I want you to help Baki and his group take down as many of the Iwa Explosion Corps as you can"

Both female Jounin's nodded firmly and joined his side to follow that order. Kurenai on the otherhand glared at him without mercy.

"Kakashi..." she protested,

"Those are _my orders_" he reiterated harshly, making her grimace and take a step back.

Thankfully, she was a ninja first and his dear friend later but the look he received from her was more than enough to convey that he was in for a _lot_ more trouble later if they survived this ordeal.

But he was willing to bear it if they succeeded in protecting the Kazekage and if she remained safe.

They saw a small army of Sand ninjas had gathered at the front gate of the village ready to meet the enemies approaching from the ground. The Kazekage on the other hand was standing upon his sand proudly waiting for the Iwa Explosion Corps flying towards him.

On the walls, Baki and other veteran Jounin were busy getting the aerial defenses ready for a counter-attack against the incoming enemy forces from the air.

"Remember we must save the Kazekage! But we must also ensure the Sand doesn't fall or else our village will be facing this army at its doorstep soon enough" said Kakashi fiercely,

The four Jounin's under his command nodded resolutely at him as he removed the headband unleashing his Sharingan.

He focused his chakra and felt the familiar sensation of his Mangekyo Sharingan coming to life.

His gaze settled precisely upon the flying Kazekage and the Jinchuuriki gasped when without any warning he was sucked instantly into a pocket dimension. Before the Sand shinobi could even register their shock, Kakashi performed the same jutsu on Neji and Kurenai making them reach the designated safe zone where he had sent the Kazekage a moment ago.

Chaos did not take long to spread across the already weakened Sand forces, the presence of their Kazekage had been the only thing giving the shinobi of this village any courage to face the foes approaching them.

Kakashi quickly gestured Ino who nodded at him before vanishing towards Baki who was desperately trying to take charge of the situation and prevent further chaos from affecting his comrades.

"Was that wise, Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura, his battle partner.

"We can't let the Akatsuki capture the One Tail. There are a lot of things on which I do not agree with Danzo, but in this matter his orders were correct. Regardless we will give every last ounce of our strength to defend these people, are you with me?" said Kakashi seriously,

"You bet" she answered confidently,

Together the two of them joined the defenders on the main gate and waited for the enemy to arrive.

* * *

Several miles away from the Sand Village, a lone pale colored bird flew swiftly across the vast skies. On it was present one of the elite **_LCU's._**

In the aftermath of Orochimaru's invasion and the subsequent Sound Invasion launched by Danzo, the need for specialized shinobi to team up became more and more adamant.

It was why Danzo established the _Special Operations Command (SOC)_ and placed the _Anbu Blackops_ directly under its control. Even among them, the **Leaf Commando Units** became a force to be feared.

Trained in carrying out Surgical strikes deep behind enemy lines with devastating results, they soon came to be feared in the ninja world.

One such team was now enroute to the aid of the beleaguered Sand Village.

"I still think this is a mistake" warned Captain Yamato,

"Our orders were to take out Iwa's Explosion forces invading the Sand's border territories with the Stone. We did liberate an entire village believed to be their stronghold only for the corpses to melt away moments after their demise. Their liquefied body masses not matching with any human residue" advised Sai seriously, even as he guided the bird towards their new destination.

"_Shithead_, if the Akatsuki are attacking the Sand and directly going for Gaara then it's the last place you would want to be considering they are also after you" said Tayuya hesitantly as she looked at the lone blonde of their group,

Sasuke looked at his blonde friend and saw him silently listening to the concerns and warnings of their team members. His fists were clenched and he was eerily silent but the Uchiha could feel something was troubling his friend.

He looked at the other three and couldn't blame them for not being able to understand Naruto's feelings.

Granted, they were going against their mission directives and taking a huge risk but it was either that or let Naruto go rogue for there was no way in hell he would leave Kakashi or Sakura to face the Akatsuki and Iwa's forces alone. The blonde had accepted a life in the shadows and cut all ties in order to keep those two safe from those hunting him down for the power inside of him.

"You are free to back out but _we_ are going" said Sasuke without hesitation, squashing any further scope for protests and earning a grateful nod from Naruto and three disgruntled sighs from the others.

"Mouse, did your recon birds managed to gather some intel?" asked Naruto, speaking for the first time in quite a while.

"Yes. They managed to catch a tail of the Explosion Corps...we'll be reaching the battlefield in less than an hour" answered Sai,

"We must hurry''

Even as he said those words, the blonde couldn't help but worriedly look in the direction of his target and pray for the safety of his comrades.

* * *

**"Fire Style: Wild Blaze!"**

Kakashi watched the twin enemy chunin burn to death in his flames as he grabbed a kunai from piercing his throat before twisting the attacker's hand backwards and burying the same weapon deep in his heart.

Beside him, Sakura performed a set of hand seals before slamming her right hand on the ground.

**"Earth Style: Mud Swamp!"**

The female Jounin turned a large portion of the nearby sand into sinking mud as a dozen enemy got caught trapped. Kakashi's chest swelled with pride when he watched his student not waste any time and launch herself into the sky directly above the mud pit with her hands already finished with the hand signs for her next attack.

**"Lightning Style: Divine Wrath!"**

Sakura launched hundreds of lightning bolts down upon the rogue ninjas incinerating them to cinders.

Kakashi's eyes widened in horror when he saw something which his student hadn't yet.

Sakura was surprised when she saw her sensei's familiar teleportation appear behind her and before she knew it she found herself transported right beside her teacher as a series of explosions tore apart the spot in the air where she was flying a moment ago.

"Thanks, sensei" she said gratefully,

Kakashi nodded even as the two of them watched a dozen loyal Sand shinobi be torn to shreds as the Iwa Explosion Corps rained down an army of explosives from the skies. Despite their best efforts they were yet to breach the perimeter and harm the village thanks to Baki and his group's continued launch of aerial artillery weapons from atop the village's walls. Ino's powers providing the Sand loyalists some much needed precision to fend off the enemy.

Even so the tide was slowly but surely turning against them.

Kakashi's gut feeling was proven correct when a blonde man dressed in Akatsuki robes surged forward fearlessly uncaring of the arrows and explosives launched at him by the Sand loyalists under Baki's command. Within seconds, he caused a massive explosion on the eastern wall and blew it to ashes.

"I'll reinforce that area. We can't let them reach the village!" said Sakura urgently, earning firm nods from the few Sand loyalists around them.

Kakashi was about to protest before his student vanished in a quick shunshin making him growl in frustration as more enemies descended down upon his flank.

* * *

Sakura grunted in pain as she rolled across the sand dunes swiftly in order to avoid the barrage of senbon launched in her direction. She watched in horror as her entire squad of Sand loyalists fell one after another as they weren't fast enough to avoid the enemy's attack. Their bodies turning blue instantly thanks to the poison laced upon those weapons spreading through their nervous system and killing them in a heartbeat.

She looked at the enemy who did this and her heart froze.

Dark robes with red clouds upon it covered his weird hunch backed body as his merciless eyes glared straight into her very soul.

_"Akatsuki"_ she whispered,

"_Leaf Ninja_. I'm surprised your Hokage sent you here to die" replied the man coldly,

Sakura carefully looked at her opponent and her eyes widened as she recognized him to be one of the rogue ninjas from the same village that she was trying to protect.

**"Sasori of the Red Sand"**

"My reputation precedes me I guess. No matter, you'll be _dead_ soon" said Sasori calmly,

"We'll see about that" retorted Sakura as she grabbed a kunai from her pouch earning a deep chuckle from the hunch back S-class ninja in front of her.

She was horrified when the portion of the village walls from which Baki and his defenders were putting up a fight against the explosion corps from Iwa was blasted to oblivion, the shockwave threatening to knock off her own balance.

_"Ino"_ thought Sakura worriedly,

"That Deidara, always going overboard. At the least this should help us get this over with sooner. Girl, tell me where the Kazekage is and I might let you live" suggested Sasori calmly,

"And why would I do that?" asked Sakura coldly,

"You and I both know this alliance that the Leaf has with the Sand is nothing but a farce. The moment it will appear that the Sand's fall is imminent your Hokage will wash off his hands from the people of these lands completely. Why die for such a lost cause?" questioned Sasori,

"Because if we don't stop you here then sooner or later our own village will be facing such attacks. More than that, farce or not the Sand and the Leaf are still _allies_. Until we are told otherwise, each of us shall lay their life on the line to defend them" answered Sakura defiantly,

"Smart, I'll give you that. Very well, then _die_ for that conviction"

Before Sasori could launch his attack he was alarmed when the ground beneath his feet started shaking. Looking back his eyes widened when he saw a massive sandstorm on the far horizon.

And it was approaching right towards them.

Even from this distance, he felt the raw energy in that storm.

_It wasn't natural._

* * *

**"Wind Style: Gale Dance!"**

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise when he watched Four Tails worth of Nine Tail chakra emerge from Naruto's back before quickly seeping back into the blonde's body as he unleashed his jutsu.

The red eyed Jinchuuriki had a feral determination in his eyes as he made the very earth of these lands to rise at his command.

"What is this..." whispered Tayuya in shock, as she watched an entire sandstorm rise all around them but their bird still flew towards its target without any harm.

"He's the strongest _Wind Style_ user in the entire Land of Fire, perhaps one of the best in the world. Even so I never imagined..." answered Captain Yamato in disbelief,

"My scouts have detected the presence of two Akatsuki. One on the ground and the other in the air, preliminary reports suggest they could be Sasori and Deidara" reported Sai, as he read the message from his scout birds as they splashed the message against the scroll he had placed below his feet.

The five Commandos looked at each other seriously now that they had received a confirmation about the presence of their dreaded foe's on the battlefield.

"Let's split into two teams. You guys assist the ones on the ground and handle Sasori, I'll take care of Deidara and the Explosion Corps in the air" suggested Naruto,

"_Shithead_, that isn't a team" taunted Tayuya with a smirk,

She smiled when he twitched at her remark but when none of the others objected to the plan, she relented as Sai formed another bird upon which all of them embarked, leaving Naruto upon the original bird.

"Be careful, Naruto" said Sasuke, earning a nod from Sai and Tayuya as well.

They all were quite surprised when Yamato changed his mind and instead joined Naruto back on his bird.

"I'll be your backup"

The way he made that statement alongwith his determined stare that bore into the blonde's red eyes left no room for argument from anyone. Yamato was pleased when Naruto accepted his decision with a short but respectful bow of his head as Sasuke did the same for his group. It went to show the two boys whom he had trained as their Anbu instructor still held the same level of respect for him even if all three of them were Captains in their own right.

"If you get blown up, _I'll curse you in the afterlife_" whispered Tayuya,

A gentle smile came upon Naruto's masked face as he saw through the feelings of his comrade even if her words were less than savory.

"Wouldn't miss your _sweet tongue_ for anything. See you soon, _Tayuya-chan_. Stay safe"

The redhead blushed crimson at that nickname and before she could retort the blonde had already taken off with Yamato over his bird.

"I think he likes you" commented Sai with an eye smile,

**"Shut up, **_Dickless!_**"**

Sasuke sighed at the antics of his comrades even as he silently guided their bird towards their respective targets.

* * *

Yamato watched as Naruto unleashed the sandstorm and sent it right across the Sand village swarming each and every fighter in less than a minute. While not life threatening, the attack severely disrupted everyone's vision especially on the ground which was exactly what they were hoping for since they needed their ground squad to reach the battlefield safely from the skies without any counterattack launched by the enemy at them.

The two of them on the otherhand saw the Iwa Explosion Corps recognize the new threat and zeroed in on their location. Swiftly the entire company turned in their direction under the leadership of none other than Deidara.

"Get ready, Naruto" he warned,

"Today they _die_, Captain" promised Naruto without mercy,

"Let's go with Combination D"

Naruto nodded at his request as both of them performed their respective set of hand signs even as their bird sped in the direction of the approaching targets.

**"Wood Style: Deadly Splinters!"**

Yamato unleashed two large branches of wood from his arms that expanded rapidly before breaking apart into dozens of pieces in mid air as his student finished his own move as well.

**"Wind Style: Destructive Wave!"**

Naruto unleashed a deadly shockwave of air that sent those wooden shrapnel at an exponential speed towards the Iwa Explosion Corps approaching their way. A series of explosions was launched from their end in defense but it only served to make the attack more deadlier as Naruto's powerful wind style attack overpowered the fire chakra in those explosions as the wind laced wooden shrapnel were now set on fire and collided mercilessly against their front line.

The two Konoha Anbu Captains smiled as a dozen Iwa bombers fell to their deaths on the ground instantly as the ones behind them scrambled in other directions.

Only one continued his defiant approach.

The one wearing the Akatsuki trademark robes.

'"Back me up" said Naruto seriously, as he made a familiar hand sign.

"Always" promised Yamato,

A dozen wooden branches emerged from Yamato's body and continued expanding outwards as Naruto created an equal number of shadow clones with each of them grabbing on to one of the branches.

Together the Naruto army was now sent directly towards a madly grinning Deidara.

**"KATSU!"**

Yamato managed to steer away a few of the branches as others were caught straight into the explosives launched by the rogue bomber from Iwa.

**"Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets!"**

Even as more than half of Naruto's clones were killed in an instant, the remaining clones alongside their original peppered the blonde Akatsuki's entire body with holes as air bullets tore through muscle and bone without mercy. The full power of Danzo's teachings towards a fellow wind user coming to its complete fruition.

Yamato grimaced when Deidara and his bird vanished in a puff of smoke.

_Shadow Clone._

His disappointment rose further when he saw the real Akatsuki laughing at them as he removed the henge and made his position visible among the remaining Iwa explosion corps.

"Tiger, get ready" warned Yamato to his student, as the entire enemy force charged towards them once more.

Naruto slammed his palms together and gathered a large amount of chakra earning an understanding nod from his teacher who pulled back the wooden branches back inside his body.

Much to the approaching enemy's shock, the Konoha Anbu Captain now flew in the air alongside his remaining clones.

A cold and determined gaze visible in his demonic red eyes.

_"Let's dance then"_

* * *

Sasuke gave one last glance towards his friend's battle in the sky before focusing upon the ground as their bird descended from the skies.

"Mouse, go aid Kakashi and the frontline" ordered Sasuke,

"Acknowledged" replied Sai with a firm nod, as he took out his tanto in one hand and standard Anbu issue sword in the other.

"Fox, rescue the shinobi trapped in the rumble at the main entrance. Gather remaining defenders and reinforce the main entrance, once the enemy enter the village the battle is lost. Don't let that happen" commanded Sasuke,

"I'm on it" promised Tayuya,

"Where will you go?" asked Sai,

They both saw their Captain pointing his sharp sword straight towards the direction of the other Akatsuki on the ground currently being engaged by Sakura.

"Roget that, Captain. Stay safe" agreed Sai,

"Kick his ass" wished Tayuya,

Sasuke smiled at the redhead as he nodded at both his comrades even as their bird touched the ground.

_"I will"_

* * *

Naruto found himself facing Deidara alongside the rest of the Iwa Explosion Corps. The rogue terrorist bomber looked at him curiously before chuckling out loud.

"Finally someone worthy of my art. Was getting tired of killing _weak imbeciles!_" said Deidara excitedly, even going so far as to make his voice echo across the entire village and the battlefield on the ground.

"You would think the Sand ninjas would be more of a challenge but they are as _weak_ as people say. Can't even defend their village without the help from Konoha" spat Deidara, ensuring his words reached each and every fighter-allied or otherwise across the battlefield.

Naruto clenched his fist when he saw the fighting on the ground pause momentarily as those words pierced through the ninjas. He saw the way in which quite a few Sand ninjas were angered by those insults but more alarmingly, quite a few took a hesitant step back from the enemy and felt their will to fight crumble.

_"Sunagakure...is strong!"_

* * *

Kakashi looked up at the skies and saw several Konoha Anbu's flying in the sky, on closer inspection with his Sharingan he found all of them except for two to be shadow clones facing the rest of the Iwa Explosion Corps.

He saw the way in which Deidara's words had a demoralizing effect on the Sand loyalists who had lost their confidence with their village's strength dwindling year after year thanks to Danzo's decisions. Now with their Kazekage missing right before the start of the battle...

**"Sunagakure...is strong!"**

He was surprised when all the clones of the flying Anbu yelled out in unison making each and every Sand loyalist look up at him.

"What nonsense. You'll watch as we slaughter everyone of you tonight and get the Jinchuuriki" yelled Deidara furiously,

"Do not underestimate the shinobi of this village. You maybe strong, you may have killed many of us and injured many more, you may have hurt this village but you can _never_ break our will. _Through Action men become heroes, through death heroes become legends. And this village has plenty of heroic legends!_" countered Naruto fiercely,

The blonde Anbu looked down upon the battlefield and pointed his sword right towards the Sand loyalists.

**"Fight for your Kazekage's!"**

Kakashi saw even the most youngest Sand loyalists standing a bit taller after hearing those words.

**"Fight for your heroes!"**

The rogue ninjas saw a fanatic look arriving in the eyes of their opponents and took a step back hesitantly.

**"Fight for your home!"**

Weapons were unleashed once more as more and more Sand loyalists joined Kakashi's side.

**"Fight to the DEATH!"**

The battlefield was engulfed in the deafening roars unleashed by the Sand loyalists who charged forward fearlessly and crashed upon the enemy forces like a raging tidal wave.

Kakashi saw Deidara snarl and launch himself at the blonde Anbu and prayed for the warrior's safety as he also joined the fray once again with a renewed determination.

Those words had give him and everyone hope, something which they had lost in the face of the overwhelming and sudden attack of the enemy.

_Now it was time to fight back!_

* * *

Sasori had watched the tide of the battle starting to change and had instantly unleashed a hundred puppets to launch a full scale counterattack. If they were destroyed on the ground, they were as good as dead.

He cursed when lightning bolts tore through a quarter of his puppet army making them explode to pieces in the blink of an eye as a Hawk masked Konoha Anbu landed in between him and the pinkette.

"Reinforcements" cursed the puppet master,

"You're done here, Akatsuki" stated Sasuke calmly, as he pointed his sword straight at the rogue ninja challengingly.

"_Another loudmouth_. No matter, Deidara will deal with your partner and I shall deal with you" countered Sasori, as he aligned all his remaining puppets to launch hundreds of poisoned needles.

The Hawk masked Anbu didn't move an inch and instead sent countless sparks of lightning from his right hand vaporizing each and everyone of the incoming weapon to dust.

Sasori was mildly impressed and saw the Anbu staring at his partner fighting in the sky with an unwavering confidence.

"_That guy_ is strong. Your partner will lose as my own will put everything on the line including his own life to save this village and our comrades. _I shall do the same_" promised Sasuke, as he awakened his Sharingan.

Sasori took a step back when he saw the infamous dojutsu burning in those fierce eyes.

"You're..." he whispered in shock,

"Sakura, go and aid the wounded. They need help desperately" requested Sasuke without looking back at his stunned former teammate.

"How do you know my name?" she asked,

"Hokage-sama briefed us about your team while sending us here. Now go and save our comrades. We will handle these guys, **I promise**"

Sakura couldn't help but feel that she knew the masked Anbu in front of her from somewhere. There was something about him that felt familiar but his voice and fighting style were completely different from the boy she had once known. It couldn't be him...

She looked to the skies and saw the blonde Anbu engaging the Akatsuki and the Iwa explosion corps in a fierce battle and the feeling in her heart only grew more stronger.

She didn't know why but her heart wanted to trust them completely even if she didn't know them.

"Be careful" she wished him sincerely, earning a firm nod from the Anbu.

"You too" he whispered,

She quickly took off in the direction where Ino's last position was bombed by the Akatsuki, her primary concern was to save her childhood friend in case she was injured and keep her safe.

Yet even as she moved further away, her eyes couldn't help but look back at the two Anbu and a smile came upon her lips.

_Thank you._

* * *

**Author's Notes: End of chapter.**

**Hope you guys liked it.**

**This story will be a bit different from the others that I have written so far, it will still have elements that people identify my writing style with but also some fresh twists. Having said that for those of you who are reading my work for the first time, I want to clarify a few things:**

**I don't write sunshine and roses like story and especially the endings, so expect hardships and heartbreak but there will also be happiness and warmth along the way, maybe even love.**

**Pairings are important for me, it's why I would like to admit I am yet to choose between Tayuya and Sakura as main pairing for Naruto. Other pairings simply won't fit in with the plot and the character that he is in this story, hell I might just choose both. It will depend on how the plot progresses...I am stating this so if readers who are not comfortable with this are aware but I would still request you to give me a chance if you feel I can give you something new to read about. Otherwise, I understand.**

**More important for me is the friendship between Naruto and Sasuke, trust me if everything goes according to plan you will enjoy their bond more than anything else. It may even reduce some of you to tears by the end...**

**I will try to update as fast as I can but I also have a full time job and a family to manage, so please bear with me in case there are delays but rest assured I will complete this story. Considering it will not be as long as my other works, it will be finished.**

**That's all I wanted to say.**

**Please feel free to let me know your thoughts, I enjoy your reviews and support for this story completely.**

**Until Next Time,**

**Blackwolf501**

**PS: Stay safe**


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